Focused Areas

China's development experience over the last 30 years shows the importance of ensuring that growth is broad based across sectors and regions and inclusive of poor men and women. In terms of needs and relevance for other developing countries, particularly in Africa where many countries still depend on aid, key aspects of China's development achievements include how China co operated with international donors, how it developed its agricultural sector and rural areas, how it expanded its infrastructure and how it created an attractive environment for businesses to flourish and create jobs. These are also the areas that China supports in its own development co operation. Africans, as well as the international donor community, are consequently interested in understanding better how China developed its strategies and policies in these areas, how they were implemented and under what conditions.

At the same time, the Study Group recognises that there are other factors that have contributed to China's development achievements. These include the role of the state, education, health, capacity development and gender equality. The Study Group is taking these as cross cutting issues in its analyses and policy dialogue.

To achieve its objective, the Study Group is focussing on two themes:

    • China's experience of growth and poverty reduction, including the contribution of international assistance, and its relevance for other developing countries particularly in Africa.

    • China's economic co operation in Africa and its impact on poverty reduction.

The Study Group is taking an events driven approach. Each of its two themes will be explored from different perspectives during a series of events during 2009 and 2010 on four key topics (described in further detail below), namely: i) development partnerships, ii) agriculture and rural development, iii) infrastructure, and iv) the enabling environment for enterprise development.

In taking its work forward, the following principles are guiding the Study Group:

     • The Study Group's work should be policy oriented and applied. It should target policy making processes of the Chinese government, other developing countries (particularly in Africa) and international donors and identify the policies, good practices and mistakes to avoid that will help promote growth and reduce poverty.

    • The Study Group's work should add value. As a large body of relevant research material already exists, the Study Group's work should mainly consist of summarising and further synthesising existing results from its own perspective, complementing this only when necessary by selected case studies.

    • The Study Group's work should be realistic. It should be carried out on the understanding that the experiences and lessons from China (or elsewhere) are not universal. Sharing of experiences is important but significant differences in institutional and human capacities will impact on the replicability of lessons.

    • The Study Group's work should be inclusive. The Study Group should not only work with Chinese authorities and DAC members but seek the active involvement of people from Africa and representatives of the private sector and civil society.

    • The Study Group's work should be targeted. It should focus on the two central issues of improving poverty impact and replicability in other developing countries, particularly in Africa.

The main findings from the Study Group's work will be published in a joint report targeted at policy makers and the general public. In addition, the Study Group will distil from its findings a set of key recommendations for the attention of Chinese authorities and DAC members which will be presented and discussed at a final event to be held in Beijing in early 2011.